Hijra As A Role And Gender Identity

According to Kessler and McKenna, gender is a socially constructed phenomenon that exists in society because of commonly shared characteristics and beliefs found amongst members of society. My paper aims to analyze and assess the hijras in Pakistan as a role and gender identity using Nanda and Jami as portrayed in the movie Bol.

According to Jami, “hijra is an umbrella term used for men who are transgender, eunuch, transvestites, hermaphrodites/intersexed and bisexuals/homosexuals”. According to Nanda, “A hijra is a third gender role, who is neither man nor woman but contains the element of both.” Impotence, imperfection or absence of a penis are the reasons cited by hijras for the “not man” part of the definition since a lot of hijras undergo the emasculation process to embrace the hijra identity (Nanda, p. 14-15). The lack of ability to conceive and menstruate is the reason cited behind the “not woman” part of the definition (Nanda, p. 18).

Defining hijra is difficult due to multiple reasons. One difficulty is the disjunction between hijra as a role in society and hijra as a gender identity. The hijra role in itself attracts other outcasts to become hijra. In the hijra community, there is a sense of “real” and “fake” hijras. According to Nanda, hijras who are hermaphrodites/intersexed consider themselves to be “real” and “born this way” while transvestites and eunuchs are often considered to be “fake” or “made hijras” because they tend to impersonate hijras or undergo the emasculation process respectively (Nanda, p. 12). These are further examined with specific examples and illustrations from the movie.

Bol is a Pakistani film released in 2011. It is set in the older part of Lahore. It is centered on the life of Hakim and his f...

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... next day, Tara upon noticing Saifi’s absence, reports to the police. The police question him and he confesses that he killed Saifi. Thus, Saifi’s portrayal in Bol sheds light on hijra as a gender role and identity and addressing the cultural perception of hijras by the Pakistani society.

Today, the status of hijras in Pakistan is improving but still has a long way to go. Hijras in Pakistan are finally recognized as a third gender and are granted equal rights on paper. The Supreme Court has ordered that hijras be granted employment opportunities in government positions. Hijras have voted and even taken part in general elections of 2013. However, the education and employment prospects of hijras are still poor. Real changes will come when society’s perceptions of the hijras will change and when hijras themselves strive to elevate their position in Pakistani society.